My Freaky Genius Girl
by Miss Romance-Lover
Summary: Gabriella thought she had left her old self behind. But then a blast from the past turns up at Stanford. She had been too meek to stand up for herself last time, but then again, last time, she didn't have Troy...
1. Blast from the Past

**Hey, this is my second feature-length story. It is set at the beginning of college life for Troy and Gabriella. Hope you like it :)**

My Freaky Genius Girl

Crossing the courtyard of Stanford University, Gabriella Montez headed to her first class. Having completed the freshman honor's program over the summer and thoroughly enjoyed it, she had been looking forward to starting the new semester as an official student. As she walked along the halls, trying to locate the correct room, she looked ahead in the distance and froze. Suddenly she could feel her heart pounding in fear. _What is he doing here? _She thought sheepishly.

Gabriella then realised that she was standing just outside her new classroom, and stood next to it, leaning against the wall. She would recognise the blond-haired, blue-eyed young man she had just spotted anywhere. She couldn't forget that face. Glancing in his direction, she saw to her relief that he was walking away, in the opposite direction to where she was. She let out a breath she didn't know she had been holding. Just when she thought she had finally let go of the old Gabriella; something from her past had to turn up. And now she felt she had been transformed back into the old, shy, meek version of herself.

She shook her head and put the thought to the back of her mind, as she noticed the professor arriving and then gesturing her and the other students into the classroom. For the rest of the morning, Gabriella forced herself to concentrate on her classes, and to focus on the initial enthusiasm she had started the day with. Then at lunch, her phone rang and, knowing that it would be Troy, she began to falter as she answered his call. "Hello," she greeted quietly. Troy knew instantly that something was not quite right. "Hey Gabi. Are you okay? You don't sound too happy," he asked worriedly.

Despite her obvious upset, Gabriella managed a smile when she heard how concerned her boyfriend was. She knew that Troy would always be there for her. But she had never told him all the details about her past. He knew that she had moved a lot; but he didn't know what had happened to her in between all these moves. It was a long story that she did not want to go into over the phone. "Hey, Wildcat. I'm okay, really. Just had a bit of a shock this morning, that's all. I'll tell you about it when I see you tomorrow."

Troy wasn't convinced that his girlfriend was okay, as she had tried to assure him; but he knew that she would confide in him eventually, so he didn't push her on the subject. "Okay, well if you're sure," he replied. They spent the next five minutes discussing their plans for the following day. Troy wasn't due to start at Berkeley University for another two days, so he was going to drive the 32.7 miles to see her. First, he would meet her for lunch, and then after her classes were finished for the day they were going to spend the entire afternoon and evening together.

Checking her watch, Gabriella said goodbye to Troy, telling him she would call him later that night. She had twenty minutes until her next class was due to begin, so she went to find somewhere to buy a drink. But as she approached a nearby vending machine, somebody bumped into her. "Oh, sorry," she said, looking up to see who it was. She found herself staring directly at the face she thought she had left behind years ago. And then she heard the voice that had managed to fill her with dread every time she heard it. "Well, well, look who it is," he stated cockily. "The freaky genius girl."

At the mention of her old nickname, Gabriella flinched. But then she thought about how much she had changed in the past few years. Why should she be scared of him? She had been brave enough to stand up to Sharpay Evans, the girl who thought she owned East High. She knew she could stand up to this guy now. A sense of calm washing over her, Gabriella replied coolly, "Hi, Mark." Seeing her easy response, Mark was clearly a little rattled, but didn't give up. "Trying to be brave, Montez?" he asked. She gave him a pleasant smile and replied, "do I need to be? I'm not scared of you, if that's what you mean."

Mark's face changed at this, and anger rose up inside him as he suddenly grabbed hold of both of Gabriella's wrists, grasping them tightly. "Don't think you can talk to me like that, Montez," he whispered. Then, quick as a flash, he left, leaving a stunned Gabriella holding her wrists in pain. Sure, she could stand up to him vocally. But physically, she did not stand a chance. Her old high school bully was back.

**Please review! **

**Next chapter, Gabriella has another nasty encounter with Mark; and Troy visits. Will she open up to him about what she's been through? **


	2. Comfort

**Thank you for reading and telling me what you thought of the first chapter! Here is chapter two...**

Gabriella looked at the clock and willed the time to pass quicker. So far she had managed to avoid Mark all morning, and now all she wanted to do was see Troy. But lunch was still another hour away. So, she told herself to tough it out and to focus on the lecture she was supposed to be taking notes on. To be fair, it was a little hard to take notes when both of her wrists were throbbing. Large purple bruises had now appeared on each one, where Mark had gripped them the day before. She hadn't told anyone. Not even her mother. Having moved into the college dorms, Gabriella called her mother every other evening. But she had not wanted to worry her with this. After all, she was eighteen years old. She was too old to cry to her mother over this now.

However, she knew she had to tell Troy what was going on. He had detected the anxiety in her voice over the phone – and she would not be able to fool him. Finally, the lecture came to an end. Gabriella ventured outside, hoping to go and meet Troy straight away. But Mark appeared in front of her, and wasted no time in taunting her. "I hope you're not planning on telling anyone about yesterday, Montez. That would be a mistake." With that, he sauntered off, leaving her scared but still determined to tell Troy. She had to; she needed him.

Gabriella made her way to the courtyard, where she found her boyfriend waiting for her. He was grinning in a way that only Troy Bolton would. "Hey you," he said, kissing her on the cheek. "Hey Troy," she replied, still shaking after her unpleasant encounter. She went to hug him, feeling safe in his embrace. "I missed you," she told him. He took her hands in his and stepped back to look at her.

"I missed you too, Gabi. But I'm worried about you. You're very pale and you're shaking. Are you okay?" Troy asked, growing more concerned by the second. "Not really," she answered honestly. Gabriella led him to a nearby bench, taking a deep breath as she prepared to explain. "I wanted to tell you this so many times. It's just that I was finally happy and I didn't want to think about the bad times." Troy had no idea where this was going. "Sweetheart, what is it? You know you can tell me anything."

She did know. So, she continued. "Yesterday I bumped into someone I used to know. His name's Mark, and it turns out he's a student here. This guy used to bully me in high school, back when I lived in Boston. And I mean physically bully me, it wasn't just what he said. Although he's the one that gave me that awful nickname..." Gabriella trailed off as his voice came into her head again. Troy had been listening in stunned silence. He knew his girlfriend hadn't had the best experiences in high school before she had come to East High. But to hear that someone had hurt her, _really _hurt her, filled him with anger.

"What did he do to you?" Troy asked her. Gabriella looked up at him. "He used to push me into lockers. Once I had to walk around all day in agony because he knocked me down at the top of the school steps, and I fell down them." He couldn't hold in a gasp listening to what this guy had put her through. She added, "he also used to publicly humiliate me and call me names – mainly it was 'Freaky Genius Girl'."

He wanted to find this guy and hurt him, like he had hurt his Gabriella. But right now, she needed him more than ever. Troy scooted closer to her and just held her for a moment. "Oh baby. I'm so sorry you had to go through all that." She relaxed in his arms, tears rolling down her face. Troy ran his hand down her arm as he cradled her. As his hand brushed her wrist, she winced in pain. Troy flinched at this and looked down, rolling back Gabriella's sleeve, which revealed one of her bruises.

"Oh my God, Gabi what happened to you? Did he do this? Did this Mark hurt you again?" She nodded, clutching her wrists in pain. "I tried to stand up to him yesterday and he got angry and grabbed me tightly by the wrists. Then just before I saw you he came right up to me and threatened me not to tell anyone." Troy knew he had to do something about this. "Oh, Gabs. I promise I will not let him get to you again. Come on, we're going to go and tell someone."

Gabriella didn't move. "No, please, Troy. I know I have to do something before this gets out of hand but please, let's not let him ruin today. Let's just go somewhere, just the two of us, and enjoy the evening," she pleaded. He was reluctant, but eventually agreed, as long as she told someone about Mark first thing tomorrow. One thing was for sure, while Troy was around, this guy would get nowhere near his Gabriella.

**Please Review! **

**Chapter three sees Gabriella go to the head of the university about Mark; and a night out that turns into a nightmare...**


	3. Evening Encounter

**Well, thanks again for the reviews! I was bullied in school myself, which is where the name Mark came from, so some of this is written from experience. Anyway, here is chapter three :)**

The next morning, as discussed, Gabriella went to report Mark. There was a part of her that knew she could be taking a risk, as he had threatened her not to do this. But she also knew that Troy was right. Something had to be done – and she had promised Troy that she would tell someone about what Mark was capable of. She found the Dean's office surprisingly quickly, and entered almost immediately after she had knocked on his door.

Gabriella found it easy enough to talk to the Dean, as he had a kind smile and a welcoming face. She began to tell him the details of how seriously she had been bullied by Mark before. Then she told him about his recent threats, and revealed the bruises he had caused to her wrists. It turned out that Mark was at Stanford on a football scholarship – which explained a lot to Gabriella, as she had been trying to work out how he had got into the college. He had never been someone that took an interest in his studies, and neither had he shown any academic skill in the time that she had known him.

The Dean listened intently to Gabriella's story, and told her that Mark would be dealt with straight away, and put on a last chance warning. They both knew that they were really relying on his commitment to his scholarship in order to get him to stop. The threat of losing the scholarship should be enough to make Mark behave; whether he also had a conscience wasn't something they expected ever to know the answer to. Gabriella expressed her fear that he would come after her at some point because she had reported him. But the Dean assured her that he would keep her name out of it when he dealt with Mark. "Besides," he told her, "If he displays another violent act like this, I will be calling the police anyway." She decided to accept this for now, and she couldn't argue that the man wasn't doing his best. Thanking him for his time, Gabriella excused herself and headed to her first class of the day.

A few weeks later, Troy arrived to take Gabriella to an under-twenty-one club, as it was a Saturday night. Obviously they couldn't drink, but they could dance and relax after working hard in their classes all week. Troy's routine was now well under-way, and his week was divided between taking classes in the theatre at Berkeley, and playing basketball in the gym there. "You know, I'm really proud of how brave you were, reporting that guy," Troy told his girlfriend. It had now been weeks since Mark had come anywhere near Gabriella, and he hoped that that was now the end of it.

But Gabriella knew better. She knew how it really worked. After reporting a bully, the person in question would completely back off for a few weeks. Then, they would strike again. She was convinced Mark wasn't finished with her yet. However, she felt safe with Troy, and had decided to forget about everything for the night. Entering the club, the couple found a private corner and started to dance, swaying in time to the music. After an hour, Troy yelled above the music, "do you want a drink?" to which Gabriella nodded, "yes please." Telling her he would meet her back in the same spot, he went in search of the bar.

He had been gone a mere two minutes before Gabriella looked up and came face to face with Mark, a creepy yet angry gleam present in his eyes. "What did I tell you not to do, Montez?" he asked her, obviously not really expecting an answer. It seems he must have seen through the Dean's claims that someone 'anonymous' had seen him bullying. Gabriella tried to back away, but he pulled her by the hands, dragging her outside before she could even attempt to call for Troy.

"I did warn you," Mark informed her. "No, just please stop!" she begged. He pushed her against a wall, and grabbed her shoulders, squeezing them tightly until they began to throb. "How dare you risk losing me my scholarship," he said darkly, still pinching her shoulders. She cried out in pain. Suddenly, Troy appeared, having searched high and low for Gabriella until deciding that he had better check outside. He spotted her, trying desperately to wrestle herself away from Mark, and ran over. He was just about to pull the guy away from her when he let go himself, and fled away. "Hey!" Troy yelled, running after him until he realised that he would never catch him. Instead, he ran back to Gabriella, who sank to the floor, sobbing hysterically.

"Baby I am so sorry, I can't believe I let this happen, I should have taken you to the bar with me..." he began. But Gabriella, who was now shaking, cut him off. "No, it's not your fault. He...he..." she couldn't finish and Troy wrapped his arms around her, letting her cry out all the fear and terror she had felt just moments ago. Stroking her hair, he lifted her up to a standing position, and led her to his car. He could see the bruises forming on her shoulders, and gasped. How could anyone do something so vile to someone so perfect, so kind...to someone like his Gabriella?

Troy took her back to her dorm and held her as they cuddled up together on her couch. "Sweetheart," he told her, "I promise you I will do whatever it takes to keep you safe." Gabriella gave him a weak smile, before drifting off to sleep in his arms. Whatever happened, Troy was someone she could always count on. And she would always be thankful for that.

**Please Review!**

**Next time, the couple decide to take drastic measures against Mark...this is now more than just bullying...**


	4. Bravery

**Hey, here is chapter four...thanks to **writingnut2010**, who gave me the idea for a good starting point for this chapter! Enjoy :)**

The next morning, Troy awoke to find he was still on the couch in his girlfriend's dorm. Gabriella was still asleep in his arms. He was concerned though, to see that she did not appear to be sleeping peacefully. Instead, she looked as though her dreams were being plagued with nightmares. As he continued to watch her, suddenly she let out a terrified scream. Troy sat up and gently moved her so that she was sitting up with him. "Gabi, hey, wake up Gabs. It's only me, okay? It's only me," Troy whispered as Gabriella's eyes opened and she took in her surroundings.

"Troy...I was, it...oh, it doesn't matter," she told him as she began to calm down. He brushed her hair away from her face and replied, "hey, you can tell me." Gabriella sighed, nodding tearfully. "It was just like before, when he used to torture me in high school...everywhere I turned, Mark was there. Literally. It was one of those bizarre, out of control nightmares. Why is it that when we're dreaming, anything we see seems so real, even if it doesn't make any sense?" Troy shook his head. It was just one of life's unanswerable questions. "Are you okay now?" he asked her.

"Yeah, I'll be fine," she told him, before falling silent. Troy caught sight of her shoulders, which were now a deep shade of purple. When Gabriella saw what he was looking at, she glanced down herself and gasped. The bruises were larger than those that had adorned her wrists the last time. Troy gently felt her shoulder with his hand, and instantly regretted it as he saw his girlfriend flinch in pain. Obviously the damage Mark had inflicted on Gabriella had left the area very sore and tender.

"Sweetheart," Troy said, caressing her cheek softly with his hand. "I think it's time we went to the police. I know you could just go back to the Dean, but it's likely that he won't be able to do much this time, seen as what happened last night happened away from the college campus." Gabriella nodded. She knew he was right. Things could have been far worse if Troy hadn't found her when he did last night. She stood up slowly. If she didn't get this over with now, she would never have the courage to report Mark.

When they arrived at the police station, Troy asked for the person in charge. Then Gabriella bravely took over, and explained that she needed to report an act of violence. She began by showing her bruises and describing the events of the night before, as well as everything that had happened in the time since she had first seen Mark at Stanford. Finally, she talked about how severely she had been bullied by him years before. After making an official statement and a description of Mark along with his full name, she and Troy were told that he would be taken in for questioning as soon as possible.

As they left the station, Gabriella sighed with relief. She was pinning all her hopes on this being the end of it now. Whether this would be the case, though, was now a waiting game. Troy put an arm around her, giving her a kiss on the forehead. They made their way to his car, and he drove them to her mother's house nearby. Maria Montez welcomed them both in with a smile, not realising that this visit would not be full of the usual pleasantries.

Troy held Gabriella's hand as she told her mother about what had been going on. Maria grew more and more worried about her daughter as she listened. But when Gabriella reassured her that they had just gone to report Mark to the police, she felt proud, hearing how brave her little girl was being. "Honey, do you want to stay here for a few days?" Maria asked.

But Gabriella told her mother she would be fine. She was further reassured when Troy told her that he would look after her, as he had already found himself driving down to see her more frequently because he missed her. And that her room mate, Hayley, with whom Gabriella had become good friends, had insisted on looking out for her at college. An hour later, the couple left, picking up a takeaway for dinner before returning back to Gabriella's dorm.

"I know it wasn't easy, but you did the right thing, Gabi," Troy told her as they ate. She gave him a smile that told him she agreed. "Thank you for everything, Troy. I honestly don't know what I would have done without you these past few weeks."

Troy looked Gabriella in the eye, and replied sincerely, "hey, you don't have to say anything. All I know is that if anything ever happened to you, I don't know what _I_ would do. I love you so much. And I will always be here, so you don't even have to think about it."

Gabriella leaned closer to him, so that their foreheads were touching. Closing her eyes, she whispered simply, "I love you too." It occurred to her that without Troy in her life, she would have been weak. Defenceless. But just by having him here, she felt stronger. That would get her through this. It had to.

**Please Review!**

**Next chapter, Troy and Gabriella find out whether Mark will be charged...and there is a birthday surprise for someone.**


	5. Surprise

**Hey :) Thank you for following this story and giving me regular feedback on it! Here is chapter five...**

It wasn't until another three days had passed that the police called Gabriella to inform her of the situation. She and Troy were out having coffee at the time, and she answered her cell phone quickly, not knowing what to expect. Troy was just as eager to find out, and watched his girlfriend intently during the phone call, trying to determine whether this was good news or bad news by the look on her face.

But he just couldn't guess and within two minutes, she had thanked the officer who had called her and promptly hung up. Troy waited a few seconds, but Gabriella showed no signs of speaking, so he asked, "Gabi? What is it? What did they say?" She looked up at him, wondering whether she should be happy about this or not. "Well," she replied, "they're not going to charge Mark." Troy certainly wasn't expecting that. "What!" he exclaimed angrily. But he contained his anger, letting her continue.

"They questioned him, and he couldn't deny it because of all the evidence I gave them. So eventually he admitted that he'd hurt me. But – amazingly – this is his first official offence, so they just cautioned him." Troy was speechless. That was a lot less than what this thug really deserved. However, Gabriella wasn't finished with her explanation. "They have been in contact with the college, though. Mark's going to be transferred, and the police are going to take out a restraining order against him on my behalf." She looked at Troy, then added, "I agreed. At least I won't have to worry about bumping into him around the campus any more."

"He deserves a lot worse for what he did to you. But at least something is being done. So are you going to be alright with this?" Troy asked her. She gave him a reassuring smile, and replied, "Yeah. I'll be fine." The couple truly believed that Gabriella's ordeal was now over. They felt that a huge weight had been lifted from them.

A few weeks later, Troy was due to leave for a college trip to play basketball against another college team, in New Jersey. It was Gabriella's birthday the following week, and he would not be back until the day after. Which was why now, as they prepared to say goodbye before he left, he was reluctant to go. But Gabriella insisted. "Troy, listen to me. You have spent so much time looking after me the past few months. Now that things have settled down, you need to do something for you. So I want you to go on this trip, and have a great time. We can celebrate my birthday together when you get back." Nodding his head, Troy agreed, with promises to call her everyday. And with that, the couple said goodbye.

On the morning of her birthday, Gabriella was woken by a phone call from Troy. "Did you choose to ring me this early on purpose?" she answered with mock-annoyance, although really she was grinning. "I'm sorry Gabs, it's later here," he replied, chuckling. "Happy birthday, sweetheart. Look under your bed," he instructed. She was puzzled, but did so anyway. She found a gift wrapped box and opened it to reveal a gold ring with a single diamond in it's centre.

Gabriella let out a breath as she stared at the gorgeous ring. Troy spoke again. "It's a promise ring. It means that whatever we have been through; whatever we might have to deal with in the future – we will always be together. It's my promise to you. Will you put in on?" Gabriella was, by now, in tears. "Of course I will," she told him, slipping it on her finger. "I'm wearing it now. Troy, it's...it's just gorgeous, thank you so much." On the other end of the phone, Troy was beaming. "You're welcome, birthday girl."

Hours later, after being taken out for lunch by her mother, Gabriella returned to her dorm room with instructions to get dressed up for the evening. She did as she was told and, at half past seven on the dot, her mother picked her up again. "What are you up to, Mom?" she asked, her eyes narrowing in suspicion. Maria simply tapped her nose, and continued driving to their destination. They soon arrived outside a large hall, which Gabriella noticed had several other cars parked outside it. She let her mother take her into the hall, and within seconds she was pounced on by a group of over-excited college students.

They all shouted her name, and suddenly she realised what was going on. All her old friends from East High were here! Chad, Taylor, Kelsi, Jason, Zeke and Martha crowded around Gabriella. They spent the next half an hour catching up with each other. By the time she sought out her mother to thank her for the party, she was having a fantastic time. Looking around her, she saw all her new friends from college; as well as all her family. Troy was the only one missing. Gabriella wondered if he knew about this.

An hour into the party, after a lot of energetic dancing, a slow song came on. Couples paraded the dance floor, swaying to the music. Gabriella was suddenly very overly-aware that her dance partner wasn't here. So she found a seat and decided she was happy enough to watch. Just then, footsteps began to approach her from behind. Thinking it was just another guest heading to the dance floor, she didn't turn around. Then she felt a pair of hands covering her eyes, and a voice she knew better than any other saying cheekily, "It's an offence not to dance at your own party, you know."

Shooting up out of her seat, Gabriella squealed, "Troy!" She ran over and threw her arms around him in delight. Troy picked her up and spun her around. "Surprise!" When he had set her down again, she asked him, "what are you doing here?" He winked at her and replied, "I wanted to be here, with you. So I came back a day early." Gabriella leaned up and kissed her boyfriend softly on the lips, letting him know how happy she was that he was here. "Thank you," she whispered. "Now, come dance with me." Troy let her lead him onto the dance floor, where they spent the rest of the evening together.

**Please Review!**

**Thought I'd make this a cheerful chapter, so hope you liked it :) Next time: is it really the last they have heard from Mark?**


	6. Reunion Trauma

**I love reading your reviews! Thank you :) Here it is, Chapter six...**

Spring break came around quickly, and on the last day before it was to begin, Troy's college basketball team were due to play against the University of Albuquerque – where Chad attended and was, of course, on the basketball team. Troy and Gabriella had planned to spend their vacation back in Albuquerque – returning for the game and staying for the rest of the week. Taylor was also coming, and was going to make the journey from Yale University to meet them. The four of them were really looking forward to catching up. Chad's parents had invited Troy, Gabriella and Taylor to stay at their house, where Chad was still living while he was at college.

The couple had both finished classes the day before the game, and set off in Troy's car later that day, after lunch. "I can't wait to see Tay, it's been ages! And Chad too, of course. I'm sure you've missed him the most, though," Gabriella told Troy teasingly. He chuckled and replied, "oh haha, Gabs." He let her cheeky joke slide, smiling to himself. It was good to see his girlfriend so happy and back to her usual self. Back to the Gabriella he knew and loved.

"What are you smiling at?" she asked as they passed the halfway mark in their journey. "You. Just you," he replied, still smiling. They arrived at Chad's late into the night, Taylor having arrived just before them. After quick greetings, everyone went straight to bed, looking forward to the following day's big game, and to exchanging news with each other.

Unable to sleep after an hour of trying, Gabriella crept out of one of the guest bedrooms, where she was staying, and went to get some water in the kitchen. Troy awoke to the sounds of footsteps, and left his own room to go and find out who was up. When he saw it was his girlfriend, he smiled softly, and entered the kitchen where she was sitting. "Hey, what's up? Can't sleep?" Gabriella smiled at him and nodded. "Sorry, did I wake you?" she asked, feeling guilty. After all, he had just driven over a thousand miles and was probably exhausted.

"It's okay. So what is it that's keeping you up? Are you alright?" Troy asked her, concerned. Gabriella immediately reassured him. "Oh, don't worry about me, really. I'm fine. I guess I'm just so excited to be back here, you know? This is home. Being back in Albuquerque, I just feel like myself again. I think I lost that for a while, after everything that's happened lately." Troy looked at her fondly, and replied, "It does feel great to be home. And I'm so glad to see you feeling like yourself again. I'm so proud of you, Gabi. You've been through so much in the last few months but you've come out of it stronger."

"That's thanks to you, Troy. I couldn't have got through it without you. Thank you for being here, and for looking after me," she told him. He winked at her, and replied, "I wouldn't have been anywhere else, sweetheart." They shared a long hug, and eventually returned to their rooms for some much needed rest.

They spent the next morning chatting with Chad and Taylor. After a quick lunch, they set off for the U of A campus, so that the boys could get ready for their game. Luckily they weren't too competitive about playing against each other, although Chad did take the opportunity to gloat playfully. "Don't worry, Hoops," he told Troy. "We'll go easy on you." Troy rolled his eyes. "What makes you think our team needs the extra help?" he shot back.

Gabriella and Taylor sat in the gym, ready to watch and cheer on the guys. As the teams ran on to the court, Gabriella blew Troy a kiss, which he returned with a grin. The girls were thoroughly engrossed in the game when Gabriella looked behind her, having heard a guy yelling aggressively at a missed shot on the part of Chad's team. Suddenly she found herself staring at the face of someone she thought was finally out of her life for good. It was Mark. In shock, it dawned on her that he had been transferred to U of A.

"Uh, Tay, I'm just going to find a rest room. Back in a sec." Gabriella knew he had seen her. She just hoped he wouldn't follow her as she desperately hurried out of the gym. Where she was going, she didn't know. But she had to get away from him. And she wasn't going to disrupt Troy's game to do it. Unfortunately, Mark saw her leave and wasted no time in vacating his seat. It was clear that he _was_ going to follow her.

Ten minutes later, Taylor was looking around, trying to see if she could spot Gabriella. Troy looked up to catch his girlfriend's eye and found that she was missing. He looked at Taylor questioningly, who mouthed "rest room" at him. But he could see that she was looking worried all the same. He ran up to her, and asked how long his girlfriend had been gone. When she told him, he asked her to try calling Gabriella. She answered after two rings, but Taylor couldn't make out what she was saying, and quickly passed the phone to Troy.

"Gabs? Where are you?" he asked, growing more worried by the second. "Troy, I...it's Mark, he's here..." she whimpered quietly. He almost dropped the phone. "He's what! Baby, where are you?" Gabriella sounded absolutely terrified as she answered, "I'm in a classroom. He's locked the door, Troy, I'm trapped here. He's disappeared but I know it was him who shut me in here...I..." Just then, Troy heard a loud crash and the line went dead. Somehow he knew that if he didn't get to Gabriella fast, this could be a trauma she may never recover from.

**Sorry, but we were about due for a cliffhanger! I'll try not to leave this hanging for long though.**

**Please review!**


	7. Survival

**Okay, I won't keep you waiting with a long author's note! Here is chapter seven :) Enjoy...**

The colour drained from Troy's face. By now, Chad had also removed himself from the game to join them. They ran out of the gym at full speed. Searching from classroom to classroom, Troy suddenly heard a faint yell from down the hall. He knew it had to be his Gabriella. "Gabi!" he called out as he continued to run, with Chad and Taylor close behind. They could also hear running footsteps, which were becoming fainter with every second.

Finally, as they came to the end of the hall, they peered through the window of another room and there she was. Mark was nowhere to be seen, and Gabriella was lying motionless on the floor. The door was locked, so Troy quickly broke the door down, kicking it repeatedly. As he rushed over to his girlfriend's side, he saw that she was bleeding from a wound on the side of her head. She was breathing, but she was unconscious.

Her phone still in her hand, Taylor dialled for an ambulance as Chad knelt on the floor on Gabriella's other side. Troy was cradling her in his arms, talking softly to her. Hoping desperately that she was going to wake up. "Come on, Gabi, please don't leave me..." he whispered helplessly. The ambulance turned up within ten minutes, and as the paramedics lifted Gabriella onto a stretcher, Troy noticed that there was also blood on the edge of one of the desks. It appeared that she had knocked her head on it. Looking on the floor, he found her phone, and picked it up to store in his pocket.

Mark must have pushed her. And then disappeared, leaving her alone, weak and helpless. Troy had always been taught that bullies were cowards deep down. This was about as cowardly as you could get. But as much as he wanted to find this guy and rip his head off for leaving his girlfriend to die, Troy had no intention of leaving Gabriella's side. Mark could be dealt with later. Right now, he had to be strong for her. He held her hand throughout the journey to the hospital. Chad drove himself and Taylor, tailing behind the ambulance.

Troy kept his grip on Gabriella's hand as they entered the hospital. He could hear the paramedics mumbling to the doctors. _Eighteen years old...serious head injury...blood loss...still unconscious..._ Everything he heard terrified him. Was he about to lose her? He snapped out of his thoughts when he realised that the doctors were talking to him. They were asking him if he needed to call anybody. He didn't want to leave Gabriella, but he had to call her mom.

He watched as she was wheeled away, then ran outside and dialled. Telling Maria Montez that her only child could be seriously injured was heartbreaking. She struggled not to drop the phone, quickly recovered herself and told Troy she was on her way. He hung up and returned to the emergency room, asking a receptionist where Gabriella had been taken to. Just as he set off to find the room, one of the doctors he had spoken to earlier approached him.

"You're the one who came in with Miss Montez?" he asked. Troy nodded, waiting for him to continue. "She has regained consciousness. A few bruises, and she will need stitches, but she will be fine." Troy was overwhelmed with relief. "Her mother is on her way from California," he told the doctor. "I'm her boyfriend, is it okay if I go in and sit with her?" When he got a nod in response, he darted round the corner and found the room. Chad and Taylor had heard everything, and decided to sit down in the waiting area to give Troy some time alone with Gabriella.

Troy approached the bed and took a seat next to it. Gabriella was sitting up, looking pale. But she was still here – she was alive. He reached for her hand, and she squeezed it. "I'm sorry about your game..." she told him. Troy wondered whether she was simply in a state of shock. What importance did a basketball game have when the love of his life had been in danger? "Oh, baby. Don't be silly. It's just a game. I could have lost you. Do you remember what happened? What did Mark do to you?" he asked her gently.

Gabriella closed her eyes, tears escaping. "He threw my phone across the room. Then he started threatening me. I tried to get away, but he grabbed hold of me. Then he knocked me over..." she finished. Troy let out a breath. "The doctor said you have some bruises. Is that where he grabbed you?" he asked. She nodded, showing him the marks on her upper arms. These bruises were larger than ever before. She whimpered, clearly in pain.

"Oh Gabs..." Troy whispered, his heart breaking at the sight. "The police are going to come by later, after you've had some rest." She nodded. It was time to make sure that Mark wouldn't be able to hurt her, or anyone else, again. As Gabriella drifted off to sleep, Troy made his own silent vow that no one would ever hurt her again.

**Next chapter: a final showdown with Mark...Will he be punished?**

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	8. All Over

**Thank you to everyone who is reading, reviewing and/or adding this story to their favourites! Here is chapter eight :)**

Gabriella was allowed to leave hospital the following day. After being reassured that her daughter was fine, Maria had decided to take her back to California, to stay with her for the remainder of spring break. She had also invited Troy to stay with them, knowing that Gabriella would want him close by. It was agreed that Maria would drive back on her own, and Gabriella would go with Troy in his car.

The police had shown up the night before, and Gabriella had told them everything. As well as what Mark had done to her, he had also breached the restraining order by seeking her out. They now had more than enough reason to arrest and charge him, and were going to find out where he was now living via the college.

Before Troy and Gabriella set off, they stopped at the Danforths' to pick up their things, and then took a detour to the University. Troy had remembered that he had left his gym bag there, and Gabriella went in with him to retrieve it. She knew that after everything that had happened there the day before, she could have stayed in the car. But as Troy held her hand and they walked inside together; she also knew that with him by her side, she could be brave. She certainly wasn't going to let Mark's actions stop her from facing the world.

They were almost at the gym when Troy felt Gabriella tense up suddenly. Turning to her, he saw that she had gone pale. Then he realised that they had just walked past the classroom where she had been trapped the day before. "Gabi? Hey, it's okay, he's not getting anywhere near you ever again. I promise you," Troy told her.

She was about to reply when she spotted a figure walking towards them. Her grip on Troy's hand tightened when she realised who it was, and he immediately moved to stand in front of her. "You come anywhere near her, and I'll..." he started. He was finding it hard to contain the incredible amount of anger that was rising inside him, as he came face to face with the vile person who had made his girlfriend's life a misery.

Before Troy could finish his sentence, Mark cut him off as he got closer to the couple. "Is that supposed to be a threat?" he smirked. Gabriella was now shaking as Troy continued to shield her. "Hiding behind your boyfriend, Montez? We have unfinished business – thanks to you I got kicked out of Stanford," Mark added.

"No. You did that yourself when you went too far Not only did you hurt Gabriella, repeatedly,but you left her to die. I should show you exactly what it feels like," Troy stated angrily. He felt a tug on his sleeve, and heard his girlfriend whisper to him. "Troy, don't. He's not worth it. That would be stooping to his level." Sighing, he knew she was right. He really wanted to hurt this guy. But this guy was a thug – something Troy could never be.

Just as he came to this decision, Mark came closer still, and then lunged at Troy before he had a chance to react. Knocking him out of the way, Mark tried to make a grab for Gabriella, who screamed frantically. But as quick as he had been knocked down, Troy got to his feet and shoved Mark to the ground, holding him down.

Gabriella found her phone and called the police. Troy kept Mark pinned to the ground and told her to stay back. Mark struggled and shouted, but had no chance of escaping now. Finally the police turned up and he was handcuffed and arrested there and then. He was led away and as they watched, Gabriella clung to Troy.

"It's all over now," Troy whispered, stroking her hair softly. "It's going to be okay." She let him hold her as her body continued to shake with sobs. They waited until they knew that Mark and the police would be long gone, before Troy led her back to his car. The couple sat in silence for a few minutes, Troy with his arms wrapped around Gabriella as she laid her head on his chest, trying to calm down.

Finally, he spoke again. "Are you okay sweetheart?" he asked. She hadn't uttered a word since Mark had been taken away. She turned to him and replied, "I wouldn't have been if it wasn't for you. What would I do without you?" Troy smiled at Gabriella and took her hands in his.

"The real question here is, what would _I _have done without _you? _And I'm not going anywhere. I love you," he told her, the emotion clear in his voice. Gabriella smiled for the first time in two days. "I love you, Wildcat." Troy raised her hand to his lips and kissed it softly, as if reassuring himself that he wasn't dreaming. She was still with him. Then, he started up the car, and told her, "Come on, let's go." And in that moment, as they drove out of Albuquerque, Gabriella knew she was going to be okay. They still had Mark's trial to deal with; but, just as he had been with everything else, Troy would be with her every step of the way.

**I know most of you wanted Troy to beat Mark up, but he is the good guy after all! And that doesn't mean he couldn't defend himself and Gabriella when it was necessary. Anyway, next chapter... the couple find out Mark's fate...**

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	9. Justice

**Here it is, chapter nine. Enjoy! :)**

Now back in California, Troy and Gabriella's spring break was coming to an end. They had spent the week together, staying at Gabriella's mother's house. They hadn't done much in that time apart from lounge around the house; doing college work, and walking along the local beach. Although Gabriella was relieved that she was now safe from Mark, his trial was looming and she was terrified. She would have to testify against him, and see his face in court. Troy continued to reassure her – reminding her that he would be right by her side throughout.

It was now Friday, and the trial was just a few weeks away. The couple were sitting in the lounge, while Maria was at work. Gabriella had fallen silent, and was lying across the couch, her head resting on Troy's lap. "Hey," he said, leaning down to kiss her forehead. "What are you thinking about?" Gabriella sat up and looked at him.

"The trial. I can't seem to think about anything else," she replied distantly. Troy reached up and brushed her hair away from her eyes. "I know it's going to be hard, sweetheart. But it's all going to be worth it when Mark is finally punished for what he put you through." Gabriella smiled weakly at him. He could tell that something else was on her mind, though.

"Gabi, talk to me. What else is bothering you?" he asked gently. Tears began to form in her eyes as she broke down. "I just...sometimes it feels like I'll never be able to shake off the old me. I don't want to be the freaky genius girl anymore, Troy." By now she was openly crying. Without a word, he wrapped her in his arms, as he saw just how much his girlfriend had been affected by recent events. Not just physically. But mentally; emotionally.

After a few minutes, Troy spoke. "Gabriella Montez, listen to me. A genius you may be – and that is a part of you that I am very proud of. But you are not a freak. No one has the power to make you feel any less than who you are. Which is smart, beautiful, talented; and the most kind and thoughtful person I know." When he had finished this speech, Gabriella was still crying. But now her tears had turned into ones of gratitude and love.

She had already been certain that Troy would always be there for her. That fact was what was getting her through this. But he had just managed to reaffirm her faith in herself, too. Gabriella moved even closer to him, so that their foreheads were touching. "Troy Bolton," she said softly, trying to sum up just how lucky she felt. "I don't know how you always know what to say. But I want you to know that you are amazing."

"I know," he replied, grinning cheekily. Gabriella rolled her eyes at his typical response, then leaned over to grab the phone when it started ringing. "Hello?" she greeted the caller, before listening silently for the next couple of minutes. "Okay. Thank you for calling." As she hung up, she let out a breath – but Troy couldn't tell whether it was a sigh of relief, or a form of preparation for some bad news.

"That was the police...Mark has changed his plea. He's pleading guilty," she said, still taking in this piece of news herself. "To everything?" Troy asked disbelievingly. Gabriella nodded slowly, staring straight ahead of her. Neither of them had any idea whether Mark's plea was due to a sudden attack of conscience; or because he had been advised that pleading guilty might get him a shorter sentence. "It means I don't have to testify. But I can still attend the trial, if I want to."

"Do you want to?" he asked. "I'll be behind you whatever you decide." She thought about it for a minute, then gave her reply. "You know what? I want to go. Even though it's going to be horrible, I need to see it for myself." Troy reached for Gabriella's hand and gave it a supportive squeeze. "Okay. Then that's what we're going to do. You're so brave, and I'm so proud of you, Gabi," he told her.

The day they had been waiting for finally came. When Troy, Gabriella and Maria arrived, they went to sit in the front row of the courtroom. As Mark was led in, his face showed no emotion, no feelings and no remorse. As far as Gabriella was concerned, that answered one question: he had changed his plea for his own benefit.

They all listened as the evidence was described, and the charges read out. Then, it was time for the verdicts. On the charge of attempted murder: _guilty_. On the charges of two counts of violent assaults: _guilty. _Mark was then sentenced to eight years imprisonment. Maria hugged her daughter in relief; before Gabriella turned to Troy and allowed herself to relax in his embrace. This time, it really was over for good.

**Only one more chapter left! Thank you for all the amazing feedback on this story :)**

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	10. An Important Question

**Well, here is the final chapter of this story. Thank you for reading and reviewing so consistently! Enjoy chapter ten :)**

Four months had passed since the trial. Troy and Gabriella had now finished the first year of their college studies, and were well into their summer vacation. It had taken some time, but Gabriella had recovered well from the events of the past year, and felt that her experiences had made her a stronger person. And every day, she reminded herself of how lucky she was that throughout everything, Troy had been her rock.

It was now a warm, sunny day in August, and the couple were back in Albuquerque for a few weeks. They had spent this time catching up with Chad, as well as Taylor, Kelsi and all of their other high school friends – who had also all returned for a visit. Today, however, Troy and Gabriella had planned to spend the day alone, just the two of them. Troy had organised a big picnic basket and was taking her somewhere very special to eat it.

Somewhere so special, that he hadn't revealed it to her yet. And that wasn't the only surprise he had up his sleeve. As Troy drove them along the familiar roads in their old home town, Gabriella tried her best to persuade him to tell her where they were going. "Please, just give me a clue? You know surprises drive me crazy, Troy. I just spend the whole time trying to figure them out!"

Letting out a chuckle, Troy replied, "trust me Gabi. The wait will be worth it." Gabriella sighed, knowing he wasn't going to give in. "Alright," she agreed. She looked out of the car window, searching for any kind of clue as to where they were headed. But she just couldn't fathom where Troy could be taking her that was special enough to be a surprise; while also being picnic-appropriate.

Then, as Troy made a left turn into the next road, she realised where they were. It still didn't allow her to work out what was going on; but she was certainly happy to be where they were arriving. They were approaching their old high school, East high. Noticing that Troy was pulling over outside the building, Gabriella turned to look at him. "Troy?" she began, confused.

Troy could see that she hadn't made any link whatsoever with their day out and their old school. He didn't answer her. Instead, he winked at her and got out of the car to lead her inside the entrance, bringing their picnic with him. He had been planning this day for the past month, and so far, everything was going as well as he had hoped. "Not that I'm not happy to see this place again, but why are we here?" Gabriella asked.

"You'll see," he told her, grinning. He had come here a few days before and got permission to bring Gabriella. First, Troy took her to the school theatre. As they walked in, memories flooded back of the performances they had taken part in here. And as Gabriella glanced up at the stage – which still looked the same as ever – she could recall vividly the very last moments that they had been standing on it. It was when Troy had announced, in front of everybody, that he was going to follow his heart. To follow her.

Troy studied her face and knew what she was thinking. He took her hand and said, "time for the next stop." They walked along the halls, passing their old lockers. Finally, he stopped in front of a familiar stairwell. Gabriella smiled fondly, and followed as he began to make his way up to the roof. Their secret spot. She then watched as Troy set the picnic basket down, took out a blanket, and gestured for her to sit down with him.

"So, this is where we're eating?" she asked, looking around her and taking in their surroundings. Troy replied, "yeah, this is your surprise." Gabriella beamed at him and spoke again. "I never thought I'd get to see this place again. Thank you, Troy." He beamed right back at her and began to empty the contents of their picnic basket. They ate their sandwiches and cake in a comfortable silence. Then Troy spoke up. "And what is a picnic, without chocolate-covered strawberries?" he asked with a wink, revealing another treat from the basket. She was instantly reminded of the impromptu picnic he had brought up to her room one night, before they had graduated. He had used the very same words.

When the couple had finished their feast, Troy stood up, took Gabriella by the hands and gently lifted her up with him. Then he walked her over to sit on the bench, where they had shared so many conversations before. It was time for the next surprise. "Do you remember when I gave you this promise ring?" he asked, holding up the hand where the ring sat perfectly on her finger. "Of course I do," she replied, recalling the morning of her birthday.

Troy continued, "I told you that it symbolises that we will _always _be together; whatever we have been through, whatever happens." Gabriella smiled and nodded silently. That statement held so much truth with her. He had stuck by her through one of the worst times in her life. "Well, we have already been through so much together. And it only makes me love you more – if that's even possible," Troy said sincerely. Now on the verge of tears, Gabriella couldn't have responded even if she knew how to.

"This promise ring had another meaning," he told her. "It meant that one day, I intended to ask you a very important question." Troy dug into his pocket, and produced a small, velvet box. As Gabriella let out a gasp, he opened the box. Inside was a gold ring that matched her promise ring, except for the large cluster of diamonds that adorned it.

Gabriella's hand covered her mouth in complete and utter shock as Troy proceeded to kneel down in front of her, holding the ring out. "Gabriella, you know how much I love you. I hope you also know that I really will always be here, no matter what happens; and I am so proud of you. Someday, whether it's soon or a few years from now, I want to make you my wife. So, will you marry me?"

Gabriella was still crying, but did not hesitate for a second. She got up from the bench and knelt down in front of Troy. "Yes. Yes!" she exclaimed, letting him place the engagement ring on her finger, next to the promise ring. The couple leaned in and shared a heartfelt, sweet kiss. Then, Gabriella dried her tears and spoke again.

"I love you so much. I couldn't have gotten through this year without you. Thank you for everything," she told him. Troy placed a kiss in her hair and pulled her close to him, holding her. As Gabriella rested comfortably against him, she wanted to remember this moment forever. She would never forget what had happened to her. But she would also never forget that Troy had been her saviour. Thanks to him, she was finally letting go. The freaky genius girl was gone.

**I hope you liked it!**

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